Of every political issue, abortion remains the most disputed. Regardless of political party, advocates on both sides of the issue are passionate about the subject. The fight to criminalize abortion continues to increase in ferocity and now incites the consideration of whether a decision made over 40 years ago still stands.

1973 marked the year in which the Supreme Court granted the right to a safe and legitimate abortion under the case of Roe v. Wade. Jane Roe, a fictional name to protect the plaintiff, won in a 7-2 decision against Henry Wade, a district attorney in Texas.

Though the Supreme Court regulated the legal time frame to abort, it considered abortions as “fundamental rights”, according to their verdict. The case impacted laws in 46 states and initiated major controversy regarding abortion, according to The Encyclopedia Britannica.

For four decades, the Supreme Court has maintained its views regarding abortion. But, previous rulings could soon change due to some new faces in Washington D.C.

With the addition of Republican Brett Kavanaugh, five out of nine Supreme Court justices support anti-abortion laws, making the reversal of Roe v. Wade a larger possibility than ever before.  

Freshman Isabella Castelo of Ocean Township said she believes that banning abortion infringes upon women’s rights.

“Making abortion illegal is a violation to personal rights because it’s the woman’s body and no one else’s, so it should be her choice whether she wants to have an abortion or not,” Castelo said.

Junior Emily Madeira of Howell said that abortion takes away someone’s chance at life.

“I am strongly against legal abortion because, quite simply, it kills another human being. It is an indisputable, biological fact that human life begins at conception and to kill another human is illegal, immoral and a violation of our fundamental rights,” Madeira said.

In 2018, abortion laws changed drastically in multiple states. According to Refinery29, Mississippi prohibit the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy, while Iowa bans abortions at as early ast six weeks, two weeks before most women even know they are pregnant. For reference, the CDC found that in 2015, 65.4 percent of abortions in the U.S. occurred within eight weeks of pregnancy, and 91.1 percent took place within 13 weeks.

“Why do we let the government simply sweep the problems that lead to abortion under the rug by merely getting rid of the baby with a questionable medical procedure rather than making them face the own consequences for building a morally askew country that hurts women and making them provide the support that women and children actually need? That’s why I believe, as feminist Alice Paul once said, abortion exploits women,” Madeira said.